Dynas Tsutendraum - A Dynasty of Dreams
An Arcane History 'The Line of a Thousand Dreams' - the rough translation in common from the Tsutendraumni dialect. It is said that, countless ages past, the kingdom now known as Dynas Tsutendraum started out on the backs of a thousand Blademages - warriors trained in an unusual arcanomartial discipline that blends magic and weapon mastery - who were the exiles of a long forgotten kingdom to the south. These exiles dreamed of a better land, where their gifts were used in the protection of a noble goal, not exploited as mercenaries for the profit of other empires. And so they drew upon their arcane talent and raised the Nightsky Watchtower, a nigh impregnable keep that has formed the centre of the Royal Palace since the kingdom's founding. They elected from amongst their number a king around which they could rally. Of the remainder, a full two dozen were appointed by their new sovereign, Thaltar First-King, as the dukes and duchesses of the provinces that make up the kingdom; three hundred fifty of their number came together to form the Nightwatchers, the order that mans and maintains the Watchtower, watching for distant threats to their then fledgling kingdom, and for any lone wanderers, exiled from their homelands, who might wish to seek a better life among more loyal friends. The remainder formed the first companies of the Twilight Legion, the standing army of the kingdom, who have protected the throne and the people to this day The Endless Call The Nightsky Watchtower serves as more than just the royal keep. On the exterior of the keep, there are several alcoves that are open to the elements, each one housing a vast omniscope. These instruments were crafted by the finest enchanters of the First Tsutendraumnen, and serve as the eyes and ears of the Nightwatchers, as mentioned above. But what makes the keep even more extraordinary is the Dawnlode, a powerful lodestone that sends a strong magical pulse to all four corners of Lirakaster. This serves as a magical beacon to most, and any attempt to teleport via any arcane means to the city of Tsutendraum will always succeed as a result. However, to a select few, it also serves as a siren song - the Dawnlode emits an irresistible call to any who have the potential to be Blademages, and they often find their way to the Watchtower after overcoming great odds. Once there, the Nightwatchers take them under their wing, and teach them the ancient rituals of the Blademages, as their founders once did. A Nightwatcher Blademage is revered throughout the kingdom, and respected by all Lirakasterans as consummate warriors and astute spellcasters. The Line Unbroken Since the founding of the kingdom, the Royal Family of Tsutendraum has ruled from the capital, serving as the head of state for all the people they call their loyal subjects. The sovereign commands the respect of his people through a complex hierarchy that is broadly split four ways: * The Royal Armies of Tsutendraum, which consist of the Army of Three Moons, the Army of the Rising Dawn and the Army of the Stars' Gaze, each commanded by loyal generals and trusted advisors of the sovereign. * The Eclipse Council, the main political body in the kingdom, consisting of advisors, philosophers and other academics that are trusted to debate and advise on matters of state. * The Nightwatchers, a major military and political force all of their own, whose loyalty is to the Royal Family alone, and who are often entrusted with sensitive missions that require discretion and creative solutions to work. * The provincial nobles, who each rule the 24 counties that make up the kingdom, and are responsible for maintaining local law and order. All four institutions serve the sovereign, and are ultimately bound to their will. The Royal Armies march only at the sovereign's command, the Eclipse Council cannot write law without the consent of their ruler, the Nightwatchers are loyal to the Crown as a matter of principle and the nobles, while some may wish dearly to extend their own authority, know better than to openly defy the Alabaster Throne. The Treason of the Indomitus Pentarchy The loyalty demonstrated to the crown does have a notable exception. During the reign of King Ulitan IX, the kingdom was essentially converted into an authoritarian serfdom. Ulitan enacted a series of complex serf laws that allowed a degree of interpretation on the part of the nobles - just enough that they could declare most anyone who set foot in the kingdom of Dynas Tsutendraum an unwilling - and often unwitting - serf, bound by law to toil and service in the name of the Alabaster Throne, a labour that was due no legal recompense. In the most northerly regions of the kingdom, Ulitan had elevated his close friends, brutal enforcers and savvy raconteurs who supported his regime, so they became the provincial nobles of the five provinces north of the province of Tsutendraum, seat of the royal capital of the same name. Sommersturm, Vigberg, Cransik Gallsbug, The Obsidian Quay and the Flaming Plains were the worst abusers of these laws, enslaving practically everyone who crossed their borders. When Ulitan died, and his son King Artimax III took the crown, the first act of the new king was to immediately revoke all the hateful laws his father had crafted. He ordered a near inquisition into the Eclipse Council, and removed many councillors he deemed too loyal to the old ways his father had fostered. Most of the nobles welcomed the change, albeit some begrudgingly; five did not. The noble houses of Sommersturm, Vigberg, Cransik, Talinor and Idrina openly defied the coronation of Artimax, and seceded themselves from the kingdom, forming a splinter faction that came to be known as the Indomitus Pentarchy. They have maintained the serf laws of Ulitan, and greatly increased their brutality, vowing one day to take the Alabaster Throne for themselves, believing one among them to be the rightful successor of King Ulitan.